CHAPTER XX 

 MISCELLANEOUS FEEDS 



I. Proprietary Feeds. A large number of different kinds of 

 mixed feeds, mostly proprietary feeds, are on the market and are 

 sold for feeding different classes of farm animals. The names 

 under which they are sold often indicate the purpose for which 

 they are intended, like dairy feeds, horse, calf, swine feeds, etc. 

 Some of these feeds' possess considerable merit and may be bought 

 at prices that render them economical in comparison with standard 

 stock feeds; others may likewise have merit, but are sold at ex- 

 cessive prices, and others, again, are neither desirable nor economi- 

 cal feeds and may safely be left alone. Unfortunately, the majority 

 of the proprietary feeds belong to the last class. The farmer should 

 aim to be relatively independent of feed manufacturers by raising 

 his own feed so far as practicable, and to supplement these through 

 the purchase of standard feeds of the kind required for the special 

 feeding operations in which he is engaged. The mixed feeds on 

 the market, as a rule, are bought by farmers who are either so 

 situated that they cannot raise much of their own feed or who have 

 not posted themselves sufficiently on the subject of feeding stuffs 

 to know that these mixed feeds do not necessarily possess any merit 

 above that of ordinary well-known feeding stuffs, and that state- 

 ments on the advertising circulars of feed manufacturers must often 

 be considerably discounted. 



There are, however, as suggested, many proprietary feeds on the 

 market which may be purchased at reasonable prices and under 

 definite guarantees of minimum contents of protein and fat, and 

 maximum fiber contents, which are, moreover, made by reliable 

 manufacturers who value their business reputation and furnish 

 feeds of at least the value suggested by the guarantees. Where 

 such feeds can be bought at fair prices and fit into the system of 

 feeding practised by the farmer, there is no reason for not giving 

 them a trial. Among these feeds are a number of alfalfa molasses 

 feeds, the brewery molasses feeds, mixed grain or mill feeds, 

 etc.; also some of the calf meals (if not too high, priced) and 

 poultry feeds. 



II. Feeds of Minor Importance. Besides the feeding stuffs 

 mentioned in the preceding, a large number of materials find a 



210 



